Delivery Scams
USPS Scam Texts and Emails: How to Spot Them
'Your package could not be delivered' is the most sent scam text there is. Here is why USPS never charges you that way.
Quick answer
USPS does not send text messages or emails about a package unless you specifically signed up for tracking updates, and it never asks for a fee or your card details by text. A message saying delivery failed because of an incomplete address, and asking for a small redelivery payment, is a scam. Do not tap the link. If you are expecting mail, look up the tracking number on usps.com by typing the address yourself. Report the text by forwarding it to 7726 and to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Warning signs to look for
- A text about a package when you never signed up for USPS tracking alerts
- A small fee — often under a dollar or two — to release or redeliver a parcel
- A tracking number that does not match USPS format or does not work on usps.com
- Links to domains such as usps-delivery-track.com or shortened links
- A message claiming your address is incomplete and must be confirmed
- Urgency: the package will be returned to sender within 24 or 48 hours
Why the fee is so small
The redelivery fee in these messages is usually trivial — a dollar or two — and that is the trick. A small amount feels safe to pay and easy to justify, so people enter card details they would never hand over for a large sum. The fee is not the goal. The card number, expiry, security code, name, and address collected on that page are the goal, and they are either used for larger charges or resold. Some versions also collect a texted verification code, which lets criminals add the card to a mobile wallet.
What USPS actually does
USPS sends tracking updates only to people who requested them through services such as Informed Delivery or a specific tracking alert, and those messages come from short codes rather than personal numbers. The Postal Inspection Service is explicit that USPS will not send texts or emails asking for personal information or payment for a delivery, and does not charge redelivery fees by text. Genuine missed-delivery notices are physical slips left at your door, and a real redelivery can be arranged free on usps.com.
How to check a package safely
Do not tap the link. Find the tracking number from your own order confirmation — from the retailer, not from the text — and enter it on usps.com after typing the address yourself. If you have no order in transit, there is nothing to check and you can delete the message. Note that a tracking number in a scam text is often invalid or belongs to a completely different parcel.
How to report it
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), which reports it to your mobile carrier. Report the message to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service through its reporting page, and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. On an iPhone, use Report Junk under the message; on Android, use the block and report spam option. Reporting speeds up the takedown of the fake sites, which usually operate for only a few days each.
If you already paid the fee
Call your bank or card issuer on the number on the card, explain the details were entered on a fake USPS page, and ask them to block and reissue it. Watch for further charges, including small test transactions. If you entered a verification code as well, tell the bank explicitly — that suggests an attempt to add your card to someone else's device wallet. Report the incident at reportfraud.ftc.gov and keep a record of what you entered and when.
Not sure whether a delivery notice is real?
Forward the email — or a copy of the text, if that is easier — to check@spamcheck.com. SpamCheck will tell you plainly whether it matches a known scam pattern and what to do about it.
SpamCheck is not affiliated with or endorsed by the companies mentioned in this guide. Brand names are used only to help consumers identify potential impersonation scams.
Frequently asked questions
- How did they know I was expecting a package?
- They did not. These messages go out in enormous volumes to random numbers, and enough recipients are waiting for something that the guess pays off.
- Does USPS ever charge a redelivery fee?
- Redelivery for ordinary mail is arranged free through usps.com. Any text or email demanding a delivery payment is a scam.
- I tapped the link but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
- Very likely fine. Close the page and do not return to it. The risk comes from entering details or installing something.
- Is SpamCheck affiliated with USPS?
- No. SpamCheck is independent and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the United States Postal Service. The name is used only to help identify impersonation.
Sources
SpamCheck provides informational risk assessments and cannot guarantee that any message is completely safe. When money or sensitive information is involved, independently contact the organization using a trusted phone number or website.
About SpamCheck
SpamCheck helps people understand suspicious emails by letting them forward the message to check@spamcheck.com and receive a plain-English analysis. This guide was published by SpamCheck and written and reviewed by the SpamCheck Editorial Team.
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